Shared Living in Europe Is No Longer a Choice. It Is a Necessity.

Today, even professionals with stable jobs and years of experience are still sharing apartments. Not because they want to, but because rent prices have been rising much faster than salaries for a long time.

When Living Alone Becomes a Luxury

In cities like Athens, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, and Barcelona, rent can easily consume most of a monthly income. After paying for housing, utilities, heating, transportation, insurance, and food, there is often very little left.

Living alone has slowly turned into a luxury that many cannot afford.

As a result, shared housing and co living have become the only realistic way to stay in the city where people work and build their lives.

What Does Having a Roommate Really Mean

A roommate is simply someone you share your home with to split rent and living costs. Sometimes everyone has a private room. Sometimes rooms are shared. It depends on the apartment and the agreement.

In everyday European life, saying “I live with roommates” usually means living with people who are not family. This is extremely common among students, young professionals, expats, and people who have moved away from their hometowns.

Over time, a roommate becomes more than someone who shares bills. They share kitchens, living rooms, schedules, and daily routines. This is why choosing the right roommate matters almost as much as choosing the right apartment.

Greece Shows the Reality Clearly

In Greece, especially in Athens, this trend is very visible.

Rent prices have increased rapidly, especially in areas close to metro stations and city centers. Meanwhile, average salaries have remained almost unchanged.

Many young people, foreigners, and migrants cannot risk renting alone. A single unexpected event such as job loss or illness can quickly turn rent into an unbearable burden.

For many, shared living is no longer temporary. It is a long term way to survive in the city.

The Emotional Cost of Shared Living

Living with roommates can have positive sides. Coming home to a place with lights on, sounds in the kitchen, and people around can reduce loneliness, especially for those living far from home.

But long term shared living also brings challenges.

Different schedules. Different levels of cleanliness. Different ideas of privacy and noise. Some see home as a place to rest. Others see it as just a place to sleep.

Over time, small issues build up. People avoid common areas. Some stay in their rooms to avoid tension. Home slowly stops feeling like a safe space.

Finding a Roommate Is Not About Luck Anymore

This is where many people realize something important.

Shared living is not only about splitting rent. It is about living with someone for months or even years. And this decision should not be left to chance.

In Greece, platforms like StayDuo were created to solve this exact problem. Instead of focusing only on price and room availability, StayDuo matches people based on lifestyle, habits, daily routines, and compatibility.

When shared living becomes part of everyday life, choosing the wrong roommate can be more exhausting than financial pressure itself.

A Trend That Is Not Slowing Down

Experts agree that shared housing and co living in Europe will continue to grow. As long as rent remains high and living costs keep increasing, living together will remain the smartest option for many people.

This also means the idea of “home” is changing.

Home is no longer a fully private space. It is a shared space that requires understanding, communication, and compatibility. And when sharing becomes unavoidable, choosing the right people to share with becomes essential.

Life abroad is already challenging enough. The place you return to every day should not make it harder.

Written by StayDuo. Based on real life observations and housing trends across Europe, with a focus on Greece and Athens.